Besha Rodell Reviews Mezze in West Hollywood

B-Rod files thoughts today on Mezze, gushing over much of the menu, especially the uni atop couscous:

... Wexler defines Mezze as a Californian restaurant. The flavors of Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Morocco guide his efforts, but like most great New American cooking, there's a playfulness and fluidity here that keeps the food from being defined as traditional in any way.

In other words, you won't find hummus on the menu. The tabbouleh has almonds and bacon in it, and the falafel comes over a warming braised tripe stew. Couscous is topped with sea urchin — a combination that shouldn't work but does, the sexed-up saline funk of the urchin playing beautifully with the lemon and mint in the couscous. It's a dish with a taste memory so vivid it stays with you for weeks.

B-Rod is less a fan of the aesthetic, she feels as though the space is trying a little bit too hard to knock the Middle Eastern theme home. And while she says she has few complaints, sometimes "the service staff become overwhelmed." However, the kitchen ... "didn't miss a beat, and the food was as good as ever." [LAW]

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Mezze @mezze_la

401 N La Cienega Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90048-1906 310 657 4103